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In 1908, a handful of apple trees were planted in Tasmania’s Mersey Valley, with the intention of growing beautiful produce for all to enjoy. Over a century later, these same trees continue to produce perfect parcels of fruit, which are transformed into crisp, refreshing ciders under the label of Spreyton Cider Co.

The idea to transform apples into liquid gold actually began in 1998, when the local orchard community saw an opportunity to re-purpose apples that weren’t up to selling standard. Their first stop was fruit juices, produced and distributed under the label of Spreyton Fresh. In 2012, a second label was born: Spreyton Cider Co.

As Head Cider Maker, Damien Viney, oversees the entire cider production. A fourth generation worker in the apple industry, he is well versed in the process of quality cider making. With a background in chemistry, he returned to Tasmania in 2012 to use his knowledge to transform Spreyton Fresh juice into delicious ciders.

Apples are picked, sorted and pressed, before being juiced. The juice is fermented before being packaged up and distributed to bottleshops all over Australia. It’s a hands-on operation that ensures consistently high quality across every element.

Damien uses the time-honoured cider making techniques from England and France to create the Traditional Range, of which there are four varieties. Working with the orchard team, he sources a range of apple varieties that are selected and crushed at the optimum time. Once juiced, they are bottled and a Champagne yeast is added.

The second fermentation process occurs in the bottle, transforming the natural sugars into alcohol and resulting in lightly carbonated drops that at first glance, look like French Champagne.

The Classic Cider is made with predominantly Pink Lady and Sundowner apples, resulting in a clean, crisp, medium dry drop with light carbonation and fine bead. In contrast, the Bitter Cider is made from hand-picked Fuji apples and Tasmanian hops. It’s big and bold, but is still easy to drink, making it perfect for food pairings.

The Contemporary range, consisting of apple and pear varieties, is the second on offer. Made from the same high quality cold-pressed fruit, it’s sweeter and lower in alcohol than the traditional ciders. The award-winning apple cider is a blend of hand-picked, tree-ripened eating apples, resulting in a refreshing, crisp cider that is designed to capture the essence of Tasmania.

The success of both ranges has allowed Spreyton Cider Co to expand its orchard, planting a dedicated cider-specific orchard next to the cidery. It’s home to a diverse collection of traditional cider apples cultivated in England and France, which Damien and the team hope will strengthen the quality of future products.

The Spreyton range also extends beyond just cider. The Hard Ginger Beer is naturally fermented and uses only ginger, lemon, tartaric acid from grape skins and yeast to produce a truly unique flavour. For those looking to avoid alcohol, the team also produces a non-alcoholic traditional Ginger Beer. You can try the full range at the cidery, alongside the non-alcoholic Spreyton Fresh juices. Be sure to check out the in-house provedore, which is fully stocked with an excellent selection of Tasmanian treats to take home.

Spreyton Cider Co combines generations of apple growing experience with modern approaches to cider production to create products that reflect the very essence of Tasmania. Stop by to taste the state.

Locate Spreyton Cider Co

6 Melrose Rd, Spreyton TAS 7310

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